The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-30

in view in the first instance. If I can assist you incidentally, so much the better. Goodbye. You will see me in London in few days"
 About week later Lord Newton received an intimation that the prime minister and the greater part of the suite of the Maharajah Dheep Koon had arrived in London and taken up their quarters in the apartments pro- vided for them at the Westminster Palace Hotel. The maharajah him. self had not yet turned up. The fact was that Dheep Koon, who was no stranger to European life, and very much preferred Paris to London, had no intention of submitting himself to the ordeal awaiting him in the Brit ish capital earlier than was absolutely necessary. He therefore gave out that he was laid up with bad cold, and sent on his minister to represent him, while he himself made the most of his brief hour of liberty across the channel.
 Lord Newton lost no time in pre- senting himself to the prime minister. He was pleased to find that function arv, whose name was Yuseef Sedlee Singh, thorough man of the world, of agreeable manners, and we'll versed, both in western customs and in the English language. Indeed, there was little save his swarthy complexion to distinguish the prime minister from a well-bred English gentleman, especi- ally when, as he was persuaded to do once or twice after he had been in Lord Kewton's company few days, he doffed his turban and other ori- ental trappings, and arrayed himself in the garb of British civilization. This was matter of satisfaction to Lord Newton, not only because it made his present intimate association with the oriental more pleasant than he had expected to find it, but also because it promised to facilitate those business transactions which his lord ship had in view.
 For the next few days Yuseef Sed- lee Singh and his companions led a highly pleasant existence. It was Lord Kewton's object to see that they enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and they wanted for nothing that London could offer or Lord Kewton's position could procure towards the attainment of that desirable end.
 Having thus done his best to put the visitors in good humor with him. self and the world generally, Lord Newton wound up by inviting the prime minister to breakfast with him privately at his own house for the purpose of making certain arrange ments in connection with the forth coming ceremonies. These matters having been disposed of, and the min ister having been regaled with a mag mum of his favorite vintage of cham pagne, the viscOunt proceeded to un- burden himself of the subject which lay nearest his heart. With consum- mate tact he led the conversation to- wards the presents to be given by the guests on their departure, and then frankly put it to the minister, as a man of the world who would appre- ciate the business aspect of matters of etiquette like this, that he should use his interest with his royal master to see that the offerings were at any rate handsome enough to cover the outlay which he Lord Kewtom had been put to.
 "I don't mind saying" his lordship concluded, "that l expect to be good deal over five hundred pounds out of pocket over this business. It would take something like double that sum to leave any margin which could properly be called present. Of course, if I were rich man, that would be trifle; but, between ourselves, 1 am very much the re- verse. Perhaps you will say that pc- cuniary presents to lords in- waiting are no longer customary. But if you don't mind my suggesting it, that is easily got over. Now, my head but Ter is an excellent fellow entirely in my confidence. I have no doubt could arrange with him that any thing he should receive beyond cer- tain amount should-ahem-ti its way-d'ye see? That, of course, is only suggestion for yourself, and one which, l need not say, you will not mention elsewhere"
 'Oh, of course not" replied the min- ister, with his invariable urbanity. ''Nothing, believe me, would afford me greater delight than to serve your lordship's interest in the mode you suggest-consistently of course with my duty to his highness. am bound to say, however, that I have always found Dheep Koon what you call in England very close ill money matters"
 "Indeed '" said Lord Newton. 'I understood quite the opposite. They tell me that he is spending money very freely in Paris"
 Yuseef Sedlee Singh gave the peer a